Immunocore gains MedCity head

Dr Eliot Forster, the man responsible for growing the life science cluster, MedCity, in London and the South East since it was established last year, is to become CEO of Immunocore, a biotech company developing novel cancer therapies.

He will continue to lead MedCity, which was established by Mayor of London Boris Johnson in April 2014.

Immunocore targets cancer and viral diseases with its T Cell Receptor technology, which uses the body’s immune system to find and kill diseased cells. It has partnerships with GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Genentech and Lilly.

Dr Eliot Forster

Speaking about his appointment, Dr Forster said: “This is a fantastic time to be part of the UK’s life sciences ecosystem, which is in a sustained period of ambition and creativity. Immunocore is a really exciting company deservedly attracting international attention for its novel technologies.”

Dr Forster has almost 25 years of experience in biotech and pharma companies, most recently as CEO of Creabilis, a company developing treatments for skin disorders. He was also CEO of Solace Pharmaceuticals, plus head of EU Development and of Development Operations in the EU and Asia at Pfizer.

MedCity was established with Imperial College Academic Health Centre, King’s Health Partners, and UCL Partners with the remit of positioning the region as a world-leading, interconnected hub for research, development, manufacturing and commercialisation in the life sciences sector over the next 20 years.